Learn to Bend
by BluuSpark
Summary: Uploading multiple chapters at once... Katara and Zuko go way back, but nobody knew it until Aang and Katara's son becomes a firebender. When Aang pushes Katara and Zuko for the truth, they panic.
1. ch1 Pick Your Element

Chapter One: Pick Your Element

There was a motion in bed that not even an air bender could conceal. The Avatar, Aang, stood from our bed and walked over to a finely carved crib. He lifted a tiny baby boy with olive skin and thick black hair. He whined and squired, then quieted as the Avatar tucked him into his chest.  
"He was just wanting attention, go back to sleep Katara."  
I rolled the other direction, pulling the covers up to my chin. I could hear Aang humming and cooing at the little boy, our son, named Ven. My stomach turned and knotted with guilt. Even if he passed as mine, I wonder if I'd be able to hide that he wasn't Aangs as he got older.

_7 years later…_

Two boys moved elementally in the grassy courtyard of the Firelord's palace. The taller one, with naturally spiky black hair moved sharply and offensively sparring with a younger boy who moved defensively, almost liquid. The younger boy moved, his shoulder length brown hair tame and shifting with his movements, his eyes were light blue and he moved his hands swift, but without severe harm. The elder boy moved with harsh, sharp movement, he stepped into the smaller boy whoo didn't block fast enough and took him down, his gold eyes glinting with the pride of victory.  
"Ven! Easy now, you know Kord is younger than you."  
Ven looked up at his mother, Katara, and helped his younger brother, Kord, to his feet. Kord dusted himself off and ran over to his mother, tucking himself into her side. The elder brother followed behind his mother and sibling away from the courtyard into a room with high ceilings. The Avatar sat beside the Firelord speaking lightly and laughing with him. There were younger children, his sister and the Firelords daughter playing on the floor. Katara chastised her daughter for playing too rough, Mei stepping to separate the two girls and keep them from biting eachother in revenge.

Aang stood, beckoning the two boys over to him. He was excited to see what elements his children would bend, considering that he was the Avatar. The firelord came to Aangs side and spoke softly "I watched them sparring in the courtyard. It wouldn't surprise me if Kord was an airbender. He moves softly."  
Aang sat down a basin of water in front of the boys, nodding "Yes, but water is a soft element too."  
He held Kord's hands out in front of his body, showing him a lifting and dropping motion using fluidity and connection from his fingers to his shoulders. He practiced for a second, focusing, and slowly began to lift the water. The boy smiled, his whole face lighting up as he continued to lift the water higher and higher.  
"See, I told you! A water bender!" Katara smiled, snatching the little boy off the ground so she could hug him tightly, water dropping and splashing all over the floor. Aang laughed, and motioned Ven over.  
"Look my son, watch the motions I showed your brother."  
Ven lifted his arms, his face scrunching in frustration. He kept trying but nothing moved. He was nervous now, but Aang didn't hesitate, "It's okay, Ven, let's try Earth."  
The Avatar spread his hands out, concentrating hard and lifted rocks from the courtyard, and guided them into the room.  
Ven came into his stance, crouching low to the ground and putting his fists out, trying hard to lift the rock with all his strength.  
But nothing moved.  
He was irritated now, his patience thinner than his younger siblings, his temper like fire. "Dad! I can't do this!" He yelled, angry.  
"Stay calm Ven." Aang chided, ruffling the boys thick hair.  
"Here, let me try." Zuko spoke up from behind the Avatar, coming up to ven and pushing him into a stance. "Let your frustrations out. Think fire."  
Ven made a low growling noise with his throat, moving in steps, and then punching with his right hand into the air a ball of hot red fire. He froze, looked at his hand, then step into a punch with his left, a more powerful flame disappearing into the air. He brought his feet together, looking down at his hands. "I'm a firebender?"  
Katara looked at Aang, who seemed a little disappointed, then spoke to Ven. "Oh honey, don't be sad. Your father _is_ the Avatar after all. I'm sure your sister will be an airbender."  
Ven nodded, taking off back into the courtyard behind his brother. Katara glanced over at Zuko, who looked at her sternly. Did he know? Was he aware?  
Aang had already moved on, lifting his little girl into the air with bursts of wind, Mei had taken their daughter in to take a nap. But Katara just stood there, with Zuko staring at her.  
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.


	2. ch2 Tell the Truth

Chapter Two: Tell the Truth

I ran so hard I thought my heart would explode. Lately, the training had gotten harder and hard. I had watched my body transform from a child's figure to a muscular teenager. I had woken up earlier than normal today and was running the length of the palace, and had just made it around the second time when a man seemed to drop from the ceiling onto me, flames going everywhere.

When I picked myself back up to fight back, he was coming at me hard. I couldn't seem to focus, I was already exhausted.  
"MORE POWER." He yelled behind a mask, shooting lightening towards me as I rolled into the bushes. "Stop stop stop!" I yelled loudly. I waited for a moment and the commotion seemed to stop. I stood up and looked behind me to see Zuko standing there, the blue mask tucked under one arm while he used the other to wipe sweat from his forehead.  
"Damn Ven. You should be more prepared if someone drops in on you like that. Didn't I teach you anything, boy?"  
I shook my head. I'm sorry Zuko, I had a lot on my mind. I had been running all morning."  
He stood there, leering at me for a second, then relaxed his face and laughed a little. "Teenagers." Then walked over to me, patting my shoulder "Let's go get some breakfast. You can't train on an empty stomach."

We walked in silence passed the large fountain in front of the palace of my father and Zuko in honor of the things they did to save the world. My mother and Mei sat there drinking tea and chatting while everyone either slept or trained. When I think about it, all of us were sleeping or training, training or sleeping almost constantly now. I as long as I can remember my mother and Mei sat on the ledge of that fountain and drank tea. It was almost as if they had become a part of the statue. My father was rarely home lately, and my younger sister and brother, both airbenders, travelled with him so they could keep up their training. Lately my mother has been training Kord in the evenings so he could learn to harness the power of the moon. Everybody was getting to advance their talents more and more, while I was still building strength.

Zuko and I ate at a large ornately designed table in a dark room. It felt like such a waste of space for just two men to eat here, but Zuko insisted. He said we would have a better opportunity to talk here where it was quiet.

I scarped down my breakfast, watching as Zuko slowly ate his. "Zuko, why am I struggling so hard to excel? I feel like we haven't done anything special to push me to my limits."  
Zuko sat down his fork slowly and halfway smiled, "Funny you should mention that. I decided I wanted to take you somewhere special to train, just for a week, just for you to learn. It will teach you a lot about where firebending came from."  
I smiled, excited. I couldn't wait to see what I had to learn, but my smile dropped, "But Zuko, why do I struggle so hard sometimes?"  
Zuko shrugged, shoving another bite into his mouth, and finishing it before speaking "Who knows. My best guess is that your mother is a waterbender, and that's the exact opposite of your element."  
I nodded, resting my head into my chin.  
"When is your father supposed to be home?" Zuko lightly questioned, eating more of his food.  
"Eh, I don't know. He's always in and out. It's like he's never here." I flopped m y head from one hand to the other, dropping my arm into my lap.  
"Oh. Alright. Let's get back to work." Zuko snapped to and stood, moving towards the door. I stood, stretched and spoke "Eh, I could use a nap."  
Zuko turned on his heels scowling. I walked by him, lightly punching him in the arm "I'm kidding old man, lighten up."

* * *

I waited as she began to walk inside, her son standing in the courtyard water bending the water In the fountain in just a sliver of moonlight. I crept through the shadows and just as she began to open her bedroom door I grabbed her by her arm. "Katara. We need to talk."

She turned to me defensively, clutching her chest, then relaxing, "Zuko? Are you crazy? Shouldn't you be in bed."  
I made a face at her, "Didn't you hear me? We need to talk, Katara."  
She tilted her head, trying to turn away from me, "I'm sure it can wait until morning. This isn't exactly appropriate."  
I shoved her into her room, shutting her door behind me. "No. It can't."  
She crossed her arms, scowling, "Zuko. Leave."  
"Katara! STOP IT! It's about Ven…" She kept standing there, poised to put up a fight, "I know he's not Aang's son."  
"Don't be silly, he just looks like my side of the family." She retaliated without a stutter.  
I walked up the her, tilting her chin up so that her eyes would meet mine, but she cast them away. "Katara, don't try to tell me that someone in your family has gold colored eyes. Don't try to tell me that you and Aang would have had a firebending son."  
Katara smacked my hand down. "Don't you dare question my loyalty to Aang. Now leave."  
I shook my head. "Whatever Katara. You're being stupid. I've watching him bend for _ten years_. He moves just like me, hes the rightful-"  
"ZUKO!" She shrieked, "Ven looks JUST like my dad! Drop it!"  
"How could you do this to me?" I yelled at her. We had lost all sense of secrecy in that second, "He's the rightful heir to the throne! You know how sick Mei got after she had our daughter? I didn't get to have a son, and now you're going to keep him from me?"  
She slammed her hand up to her face, shaking her head no over and over again, sobbing uncontrollably, "You…see…him…more…than...Aang!"  
She kept crying, so I walked over to her, holding her into me, her face buried into my chest. "It's going to be okay Katara, you just have to understand where I'm coming from, too."  
"No, I don't Zuko." She pushed away from me wiping her face. "I won't let you ruin my family."  
"What? Are you _kidding me?_ I'm not going to let you lie anymore Katara!" I turned to walk away from her, but she grabbed the back of my robes. "Zuko, no!"  
I pulled away from her, enraged. I walked out of her room, slamming the door behind me. There was no way I could sleep now. No way in hell.


	3. ch3 Secrets in the Sun

Chapter Three: Secrets in the Sun

We had arrived in an isolated location, there seemed to be nobody here. It was hot, and I was already ready to go home. Zuko guided me to a gate, and a large man opened it for us. He was painted in brilliant reds and gold, like the sun itself at dawn. We walked down a long cave-like walkway before we came out into a large opening of a village  
"These buildings…or…whatever they are, they're huge!" I breathed staring at the intricate and detailed columns of ancient architecture. I looked over at Zuko, him half smirking. "You act like you haven't seen buildings before. This isn't what's important." He nodded, pushing me forward, the warrior looking man leading us to a room.

"At least this time I know where to go. I promise I won't get us stuck is goo like your…Like Aang did." He seemed distant as he finished his sentence, but smiled at me playfully. I had never seen him so tense, yet playful now that I think about it. He seemed like something was on his mind, that he couldn't focus. He had been like that since the day he told me we were coming here a week ago. I couldn't figure it out.

"You guys got stuck in goo?" I elbowed him in the ribs, cutting him a look like they were plain stupid as kids. "You guys seemed to get into a lot of messes." We were changing clothes, talking like old friends. He was slowly getting looser and looser now that we were here.

Zuko laughed as he pushed the door open, and another Sun Warrior stood magnificently before us. He eyed me, and then looked at Zuko, motioning us in. These people were a sacred people; Zuko told me of their history on the trip over here. He had taught me a pattern of firebending motions that seemed more like earth bending to me than anything.

More and more sun warriors appeared from the shadowed caverns of the architecture. They were all painted in whites, reds, and oranges like a beautiful sunrise. They seemed tanned and aged more so than normal Fire Nation persons. I watched they walked as we moved towards a set of tall stairs that seemed endless; they moved with so much pride. Zuko stopped me, pointing up a set of long, magnificent stairs.

"Is this it?" I breathed as we stopped. "Yes. I hope you remember the moves I taught you, because you won't live through it if you don't."

He looked down at me as my body began to tremble. I blinked a couple of times before breathing shakily, "Thanks Zuko, I feel so much better." I didn't want to move anymore. I didn't want to speak.

We began to climb the endless stairs that reached for the skies. I looked up and noticed the caves on either side of the stretching wall at the top of the stairs. I nudged Zuko as we continued our climb, "Whats in there?" trying to prepare for the worst. He shook his head no, and we continued our climb in silence.

As we reached the top and stood still evenly between the two caves, my body continued to tremble. He spoke softly, "Get ready." And suddenly, two dragons exploded from the caves, one red and one blue. It was as if they were dancing. Their movements were beautiful and graceful, fire exploding from their mouths. "Do what I taught you!" Zuko yelled over the roar of the fire and the noise of the dragons. I began going through the motions forcefully, moving along with the dragon next to me. My heart was pounding violently, I had never felt so alive. I didn't want to mess up, even though I was moving further and further away from the person who had taught me everything. I felt like I was being reborn, stronger, faster, better, and as it began, it felt like it was over in an instant. They returned to their caves, and we made our way down the stairs. My body felt strong and my heart felt warm. I almost wanted to stay here with the Sun Warriors if I could feel this way forever.

"How do you feel?" Zuko asked as we reached the bottom of the stairs and we began to make our exit from the sun warrior's temple.

"Amazing…ALIVE! Wow! I can't believe that you and Dad got to experience it too!"

He frowned, and breathed. "Yeah, I kind of miss those days."

My eyes followed Zuko's face, waiting for something to change in his expression. I wasn't sure what to think about what could possibly be going on in his head after such an amazing experience. How could he be distracted?

He stayed that way all night. I didn't know what to make of it. We dined with the Sun warriors, and talked of the history of the firebenders, where the dragons went and how they affected us when they all left. It was exciting, and freeing. I finally felt proud of my element after all of the darkness I had heard about firebenders.

When we finished dinner, I walked out past the gat along the edge of the island. I had been sitting on a sharp, jutting rock. I felt someone coming up beside me, but I felt secure here, so I wasn't quick to jump to my feet.

Zuko sat beside me, patting my shoulder. "What's up, kid?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Not much. I was just thinking about how my dad was never there. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love him… but I don't identify with him. He's so different from me."

Zuko laughed, "Yeah, I was there before. Except my dad was a crazy old man, hell bent on taking over the world, and I had to be the good guy. It was a big change."

I looked over at him and smiled. "I feel like you're my dad, Zuko. We can talk about everything. You've seen everything I've done; everything I've achieved. I feel like we even look alike now…" He looked at me and his gold eyes glinted. He suddenly looked stressed.

"Funny story Ven…" He paused his head dropping into his hands, "You're just a kid. Life is hard to understand." He looked back up, but I could tell he was holding something back. I looked at him long and hard, we didn't talk for a minute, his mouth opened and shut, but then he looked back out into the sea.

"You're hiding something." I spoke harsh and flat. "Tell me."

"I…" he stood up, looking down at me, "Ven. It's not my place." I stood up facing him, almost his height. "Zuko, tell me! Please?"  
Zuko put his arm around me, speaking quietly, "Do you know why you feel this way? Why you're a fire bender? Why you look so much like me?"  
I hesitated, staring him up and down before it hit me. I pushed back, almost tripping into the water, but he grabbed me. I wanted to shove him back, I wanted to push him as far away as possible. "No way. No. way."

"Ven, you're my son."

I was frozen. I was shocked. "Take me home. _Now._"


	4. ch 4 Accidental Confession

Chapter 4: Accidental Confessions.

I couldn't sleep, we had been home for hours, and to my surprise my dad… or… Aang, I didn't know anymore, had come home sooner than expected. He embraced Zuko like he was his brother, but he was a liar. I knew he was a liar. I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about how everyone was suddenly a liar. My dad was such a good person, and he was getting lied to by the two people he loved most. How could they?  
I finally got sick of wallowing in my own depression, and kicked the covers back, not bothering with a shirt or shoes to go walk out in the courtyard.

I had forgotten that my brother had been training at night, but my brain was so on auto-pilot that I just walked straight into him.  
"Oh shit! Damn Ven… I thought you were Zuko…" he had dropped a huge swell of water, soaking himself down. He drew the water out of his clothes, then sat on the fountains ledge. "You okay?"  
"Yeah, that was just the last thing I wanted to hear." I rested my elbows on my knees, and my forehead in my palms.

"I thought you liked Zuko?" My brother questioned, dipping his loose left hand into the water to swirl it around.

"Yeah…" I sat upright and looked over at him. We looked nothing alike. His skin was pale and his hair was long and pulled back into a sleek ponytail. "Did you ever notice how different we are?"

Kord laughed, and nodded, "Sometimes I wonder how were related."

I burst into tears. He looked at me like I was crazy, kind of shifting away from me, "Bro. Are you okay?"

"No!" I yelled, I was trying to get away from the topic, but it surrounded me it seemed, "I'm not okay! I'm not freaking okay! I don't even know who I am! My stupid firebending teacher turns out to be my dad, and now what? I knew I didn't fit right with dad…"

I felt movement, then a sudden stillness. My brother was staring behind us. He looked from me, behind us, to me again. "You're not my brother?" he jumped up, like I had a disease. "I… I can't deal with this." He took off in a brisk walk behind me. I jumped up to turn to grab up, but walked into my father, the Avatar, Aang.

"Ven? Did I… Did I hear you correctly?" His face was twisted, he looked pained and hurt; I didn't know what to say. "Ven! Answer me!"

"Dad! I don't know!" I walked away, watching my dad storm into the firelord palaces, his arrows were throwing from glowing to calm, from glowing, to calm. He was trying to control himself. I felt myself shattering, I didn't know what to say or what to do. I followed quickly behind ihm, trying to calm the powerful man.

"ZUKO!" he boomed down the hallway, calling the Firelord from his sleeping quarters. He stepped out into the hall, and without a second to react, Aang slammed him into the wall. "HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS?" He was shaking violently now, and Zuko was wrenching at Aang's wrists, his feet not touching the floor.  
"Aang, you need to calm down, let me down."  
Aang hesitated, then dropped the dark haired man. "You lied… why? I mean.. My first born, my baby… My _son_ Zuko…" He was fading from anger to sobs.  
"Aang, you're such a good father. This doesn't change anything." Zuko whispered. Katara moved down the hall beside them in a ghastly fashion, following up on Zuko's words.

"He's right. It's going to be okay, Ven loves you Aang- he knows you are his father." She reach out to grab Aang's hand, but he jerked it away hard. "No Katara, it's not going to be okay. Why couldn't you just tell me?"

He looked over at Zuko, "You had sex with my WIFE? How could you?"

Zuko looked down at the floor, "It was before you two were married. Right before actually…"

Aang was shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That doesn't make it any better."

Zuko turned around to face his room, watching Mai get dressed. "Mai, please, where are you going?"

"To my parents Zuko. You lied to me too. I can't stay here anymore. How are you going to explain this to the whole kingdom? You had a child with the Avatar's wife? What a friend…" She grabbed a back and opened the large closet and began packing clothes. "I'm taking our daughter too."

Zuko ran into the room, shutting the door behind him, attempting to save his marriage, leaving Aang and Katara in the hallway, only me standing in the doorway to listen.

"He's your son Aang, please. Please. Please." She dropped her head, crying.

"Yeah!" His voice boomed, "Since when? I should have known when he was a fire bender. I should have known." He turned away from her, walking past Ven and away from the hallway out into the courtyard, perhaps to find Kord, perhaps to leave, he wasn't sure. Katara just stood there.

"Ma…" I walked over to the crying woman, my heart breaking. She was still my mother, despite the commotion. "It's going to be okay." I pulled her into my arms.

She slowly pushed back, wiping at her cheeks and turning away from me, "I'm sorry Ven, you just look so much like _him_, you even smell like him. I- I can't…" she walked away from me towards her room.

I was left to feel lost and stranded and confused. Everything I had known was now at a crossroad.


End file.
